2016 Free Agency Preview: Offensive Line

Dolphins.com’s series of free agency previews continues with the offensive line position.

The new NFL league year begins March 9, and that’s the day when teams can start signing unrestricted free agents who ended last season under contract with another club.

Dolphins.com’s series of free agency previews continues with the offensive line position.

DOLPHINS FREE AGENTS

G Shelley Smith (UFA): Smith was on the market last offseason after being released by the Dolphins and signed a two-year contract with the Denver Broncos. He returned to the Dolphins in December after being released by the Broncos but didn’t appear in any games in 2015.

G/C Jacques McClendon (UFA): McClendon was released and re-signed three times last season after first joining the Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent in March. McClendon ended up appearing in three games for the Dolphins last season.

Dolphins free agent signings at the position through the years (Note: Does not include players signed after being released by another team)

G Alex Boone, San Francisco — Boone joined the 49ers as a rookie free agent out of Ohio State in 2010 and started 59 of 64 games the past four seasons. At 6-7, 330, Boone is unusually tall for a guard.

G Evan Mathis, Denver — A Pro Bowl selection with the Eagles in 2013 and 2014, Mathis joined the Broncos last August and started 12 of 16 games in the regular season. Mathis has played for five teams since entering the NFL as a third-round pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2005, including a seven-game stint with the Dolphins during the 2007 season.

T Russell Okung, Seattle — The sixth overall pick in the 2010 draft, Okung has started all 72 games he has played. He has yet to play all 16 games in any season. Okung was selected to the Pro Bowl in the 2012 season when he played a career-high 15 games.

G Kelechi Osemele, Baltimore — Osemele was a second-round pick of the Ravens out of Iowa State in 2012 and he started all 16 games at right tackle as a rookie for the eventual Super Bowl champion Ravens. Osemele moved inside to guard in 2013 and he started all 35 games he played the past three seasons.

T Andre Smith, Cincinnati — Taken in the exact same spot as Okung one year earlier, Smith has been a fixture at right tackle for the Bengals. After a slow start to his career, Smith started 68 of his past 69 games with Cincinnati.